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June 12, 1923.

R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed Sept, 25, 1922 15 sheets-sheet l IW/veniow J 130 1 95 June 12 1923.

R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC 1922 15 sheetssheet 2 Filed Sent. 5.

a9 so me 'Inveni/or:

June 12, 1923. 1,458,833

R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed Sent. 5, 1922 15 sheets-sheen Inveniov I RoZweWEIQ-[Lmlus on,

-June 12, I923.

-- R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PRQCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC 1 4 m o H T u Ma 1 m w. m nu m I m 9? w m m\ W M m m llllllll June 12, 1923.

R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed Sent. 5, 1922 I 15 sheets-sheet 5 Inter Dior.-

June 12, 1923.

R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Fil d Sept, 25. 1922 15 sheets-sheet 6 June 12, 1923.

R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed Sept, 25, 1922 l5 sheets-sheet 7 I rave Wit)? June 12, 1923.

R. H. LAWSON I KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed Sent. 25, 1922 13 sheets-sheet 8 June 12, 1923.

R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed Sent. 5

1922 15 sheets-sheet 9 1 RoZweriIELLawson,

June 12, 1923. 1,458,833

R. H; LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed S t. 25. 1922 15 sheets-sheet 10 Imam/$0 2 B'oZuer%HLaw s on,

fiM/W? June 12, 1923.

v R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed Sent. 1922 15 sheets-sheet l2 @QMWN lave-227707 B02103"? .Law'soa, Z M

June 12, 1923. 1,458,833

R. H. LAWSON KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRQDUCING SPLIT FABRIC Filed Sent. 25, 1922 13 sheets-sheet l5 Patented June 12, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ROBERT LAWSON, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO HEMIHILL COMPANY, OF CENTRAL FALLS,'RHODE ISLAND, CORPORATION MASSA- CHUSETTS.

- KNITTING MACHINE AND PROCESS OF PRODUCING SPLIT-FABRIC.

Application filed September T all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, ROBERT H. Lawson, a citizen of the United States, and a resident. of Central Falls, in the countyot-Provi dence and State f Rhode Island, have invented an Improvement in Knitting Machines and. Processes of Producing Split Fabric, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representinglike parts.

This invention relates to knitting machines and processes for producing split fabric, and more especially to circular automatic knitting machines adapted to split foot hosiery and to processes for producing split foot hosiery.

In order that the principle of the invention may be readily-understood, I have disclosed in the accompanying drawings mechanism constituting an embodiment of my invention and by which mechanism the proc:.

ess of my invention may be practised, and

the fabric thereof be produced. In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a circular knitting machine embodying the invention and whereby my process may be practised and my .fabric be produced;

Fig. 2is aside elevation of said machine;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine;

Fig. 4: is a front elevation upon an enlarged scale of the knitting head of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a section 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail in vertical section through the central portion of the secondary knitting cams and through the latchring or support, and showing the two sets of yarn guides or fingers, the needle cylinder being shownin dotted lines; I

Fig. 7 is an inside elevation of the secondary cam setand associated parts:

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of means for moving a portion of the guard cam;

Fig. 9 is a view in side elevation of means for elevating the'jacks preparatory to cer tain spl-itwork; I v

Fig. 10 is .a somewhat diagrammatic rep resentation of part of a'stockin'g' and indiupon the dotted line 25, 1922. Serial No. 590,238.

cating the manner in which the high splice is knitted by split work;

Fig. 11 is a development of the various cams for actuating the needles and the jacks, saidcams occupying their proper positions for circular knitting.

Fig. l2is a-view similar to Fig. 11, illustrating the various camsin position for certain split Work;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, the cams being in position for split work, with the cylinder moving in. the forward direction; I

Fig. 14 is a View similar to Fig. 13, but with the cylinder moving in the reverse direction;

Figs. 15 to 20 are diagrammatic sections upon substantially the line 55 of Fig. l, but omitting all unnecessary parts and representing successivestages in the knitting of the high splice or other reinforced or contrasting area by split work;

Fig. 21. is a side elevation of jacks used respectively tor the short butt and long butt needles;

Figs. 22 and 23 are diagrams indicating the arrangement of needle sets;

Figs. 24, 25 and 26 are diagrams indicating the action of the needles and the jacks in split work;

Fig. 27 is a transverse section through the machine (omitting certain parts) and indicating an arrangement preferably employed when the knitting oi the stocking is begun at the toe; I

Fig. 28 is a plan view; and Fig. 29 a side elevation of one of the cams and jack narrowing pickers preferably used when the knitting is-begun' at the toe Figs. 30 and 31 areviews similar to the right hand portions of: Figs. 13 and 14. respectively, but showing'a slightly modified form of my invention;

Fig. 32- is a transverse section through two jack pickers used in that modified form of my invention shown in Figs. 30 and 31; and

Fig. 33 is a view similar to Fig. 10, but indicating the manner in which the high splice or the like is formed when using that form of my invention shown in Figs. 30 and 81.

My invention, while applicable to the production of numerous fabrics as well as to various parts of hosiery, more particularly relates to means for producing reinforced or contrasting areas in hosiery, such, for example, as high splices of triangular or other suitable shape by means of split work, and to a method or process by which such reinforced or contrasting areas are produced well as to such fabric. I shall herein disclose mechanism whereby this result is accomplished. Such mechanism may be used with many different types of knitting machines. I will, however, without limiting myself thereto, disclose the same as used in connection with a circular knitting machine of the so-calledBanner type and organized for producing split work, but not in itself capable of effecting the production of a reinforced or contrasting area having nonparallel sides, to which latter feature my invention is more particularly directed.

I will first describe in necessary detail a circular knitting machine for producing a stocking of split work and will then disclose the fundamental-changes therein and with which my invention is particularly concerned. i

The knitting machine herein disclosed, but to which my invention is in no wise limited, embodies the characteristics of the so-called Bannermachine fully disclosed in the U. S. patent to Hemphill, No. 933,443, dated September 7, 1909. Said machine has a frame 1 within which is mounted a needle cylinder 2 preferably, although not necessarily revoluble, and a non-revoluble cam carrier 3 having an annular portion or ledge 1. Mounted in the frame 1 is a main shaft 5 carrying suitable pulleys 6, 7, 8, respectively employed as quick speed, slow speed and loose pulleys. A pattern shaft 9 is mounted in said frame and has thereon an appropriate cam or pattern drum 10. Upon said pattern drum is a peripheral rib or cam 11 which engages with a follower 13 carried by a pivoted clutch shifting lever 14 con nected with the usual clutch for shifting from reciprocating to rotary driving instrumentalities, and vice versa, said latter in strumentalities being well known features of said Hemphill patent, and for further information concerning the same reference may be had thereto. The follower 13 is adapted to travel through cross slots 12 from one side of the rib 11 to the other so as to effect the shifting of said clutch member. One of said cross slots is shown in Fig. 1.

By means of the mechanism just described the needle cylinder 2 is adapted to be given at certain times in the knitting operation a continuous rotary movement, as, for example, during the knitting of the leg of the stocking, while at other times said cylinder is given a to and fro or reciprocating movement not only during the knitting of the heel and toe pocket of the stocking, but also during the knitting of a portion of the ankle, and particularly'that part which includes the high splice and also during the knitting of the foot, although, as stated, the disclosed embodiment of my invention pertains more particularly to the knitting of the high splice by a reciprocating movement, whereby through the formation of suture seams at opposite sides of the stocking a reinforcing or contrasting area is presented, said suture seams being desirably, and as herein disclosed, along lines which are non-parallel to the wales of the fabric; and as herein shown are along lines crossing a series of consecutive wales of the fabric. As hereinafter more fully disclosed said suture lines are or may be at one end in proximity to each other and they slope in opposite directions at desirably substan tially equal angles, whereby in the particular embodiment herein disclosed a generally triangular area is bounded on two sides thereby. In accordance with my invention, the reinforced or contrasting area may be at the back or the front of the stocking, and

may be of triangular or other suitable shape involving the production of non-parallel suture lines, as hereinafter more fully set forth, and the fabric, if a stocking, may be commenced at either end, as, for example, the top of the leg or the top of the toe.-

Depending upon whether the stocking is commenced at the top of the leg or at the toe of the stocking, said suture lines either commence or terminate in proximity to each other in the illustrated embodiment. I will more particularly describe that embodiment of the invention wherein the knitting is begun at the to of the leg, in which case said suture lines F ing or" contrasting area is not quadrangular in shape) commence in suitable proximity to each other and diverge either in straight, curved or irregular lines and desirably at equal angles or symmetrically (though not necessarily symmetrically), whereby a reinforced or contrasting area is produced, which is bounded on two'sides by said two suture lines. In the disclosed embodiment of the invention said suture lines are straight but inclined, thus crossing a series of wales. T

The means whereby such suture lines are produced will be hereinafter more fully set forth. i

The cam plate 3 has provisions for a limited vertical movement, the same being herein mounted upon the usual cam slide 15, itself mounted for vertical movement in said frame 1 and carrying at its lower portion cam, followers 16, 17, 18, adapted to engage ribs upon a cam '19 mounted upon and adaptin the event that the reinforcedto turn with the pattern shaft 9, said cam being adapted to move said cam slide up or down to vary the length of the loops during the knitting of the leg and other portions of the stocking.

My invention may be practised upon either a latch needle or a spring beard needle machine, but merely for convenience of de scription, I shall refer to certain features more particularly pertaining to latch needle work, such, for example, as the latch ring, it being understood thatI may employ spring beard needles in which event a suitable support preferably in the form of a partial i'iiig, would be substituted for the latch ring.

ere in a latch ring 20 is pivoted at one side of the machine upon an upright post 21 by a pivot pin 23 and yieldingly engaging the under side of said latch ring is a spring actuated foot 2a mounted in said post 21 and adapted to exert a yielding upward pressure against said latch ring, which under normal conditions is locked in its operative position against the standard 22 by a'latch 25 engaging a pin 26 upon said latch ring.

The needles shown in the present embodiment are of the latch needle type but as hereinbefore stated, spring beard needles may be used within the scope of my invention. The needles, of whichever type employed, are arranged in a circular series and are of a number consistent with the diameter of the work to be performed upon the machine. These needles are divided into two substantially equal sets, one set here having What are known as long knitting butts, while the other set has the usual short knitting butts, said. long butt needles, also termed instep needles, being adapted to be withdrawn, preferably by elevating them at suitable times in the operation of the machine by the usual instep cams 27, 28 (as shown in l Said cams 27, 28 are mounted upon a slide 29 arranged to slide vertically in a standard 30 secured to the cam plate 3. Appropriate movement is imparted to said slide by a bell crank lever 31 pivoted at 82 to a part of the standard 30, one arm of said lever being connected with said slide 29, the other arm being connected at 33 with a link 34 extending to and having connection at 35 with the upper end of the clutch shifting lever 1d. Said connections are such that when said clutch shifting lever 141: is in the position for rotary knitting, the 'cams 27, 28 will be in their lowermost or depressed positions, and when said lever 14 is in a position to effect to and fro or reciprocating knitting, said cams 27, 28 will automatically be moved to the upper positions and thereby effect the withdrawal. of the instep or long buttneedles whose butts are arranged to engage said cam 27 and be elevated thereby, said cam 27' being far enough from the face of the needle cylinder to engage only the long butts permitting the short butts to pass without interference. The cam 28, however, is placed close up to the cylinder so as to engage either long or short butts which happen to be in their elevated positions when said cam 28 and the cam 27 are depressed.

Mounted upon the cam plate 3 with the instep cams is a cam block 36 arranged to slide radially with respect to the needle cylinder between suitable angle plates at opposite sides of said block and secured to the cam plate 3. A spring 38 is interposed between said cam block and a suitable fixed abutment 39 and constitutes means yieldingly to maintain said cam block in its operative position with respect to the needle cylinder. Said cam block 36 herein constitutes the support for what are termed the primary knitting cams of the machine, and herein consisting of the usual stitch cams :0, all, a lower central guide cam 42 and an upper central guide cam or member The inner faces of the cams 40, 41, 4&2, 43 are concaved and lie normally in the plane coinciding with the outer face of the needle cylinder 2, said cams being withdrawn from this position only when it is desired to level the needles for transferrng or when it is desired. to withdraw said cams to get at the needles of the cylinder forthe purpose of withdrawing or replacing needles. The usual means employed in the Banner machine for either manually or automatically retracting the cam block 36 for the purpose just described may be and herein are employed, said means consisting of a hand lever 44. pivoted at 45 to the standard 22, said lever being connected by a link 4L6 with the cam block 36. Automatically to retract said cam block the means herein shown consists of a link 47 extending from one arm of the lever downwardly to and into engagement with a cam lever 48 arranged to cooperate with a suitable rib 49 upon the face of the pattern drum 10. The withdrawing of said can] block 36 also serves to rock the latch .25 which has an end engaging the rear end of said cam block, and this disconnects said latch from the pin 26, thereby permitting the latch ring to be moved upwardly by the spring foot 24. The cam block 36 is also provided with a pair of narrowing picks 50, 5O pivoted upon said block in. a manner characteristic of said Banner machine and arranged to operate in the usual manner.

The said latch ring 20 is also provided with the usual supply of yarn levers indi cated generally at 5]. in Fig. l, and herein five in number, and hereinafter referred to as the primary yarn guides. Said levers are desirably operated in the usual manner from the pattern drum 10. Also supported upon said latch ring is a supporting arm 52 forthe usual yarn clamping and yarn cutting devices for the primary yarns said devices being omitted. from certain figures for sake of clcarncss and because not constituting any part of the present invention. They are, however, preferably of the usual type and are operatively connected with the pattern shaft to operate automatically with the changing of the yarn.

The needle cylinder is provided with the usual web holder bed 5? shown in .ilig. 2, and surmounted by the web holder cam ring 58 of the usual Banner coi'istruction and having lugs 59 to engage the latch ring 20 so-as to; effect relative movement between said cap ring and the sinker bed ring all of which parts being OPCTttlJlQ in the usual manner, require no further description.

The parts hereinbejlt'ore described bv reference numeral are generally common to the Banner type of knitting machine and are operated automatically from the pattern shaft 9 by pattern mechanism generally indicated by the numeral 69 in Fig. 1.

Inasmuch as an important and indeed the main object of the invention is to provide a machine for knitting split fabric with suture lines characterized as hereinbefo-re set forth, a secondary set of knitting cams is provided which set is indicated generally at 61 in Figs. 11 to 14L. This set of knitting cams preferably includes a pair of stitch cams 62, 68, a lower guide cam 6 k and an upper guide cam 65, said upper guide cam 65 being automatically radially n'ioved at suitable times as hereinafter disclosed for permitting reciprocation of the'needles. There is also provided upper guard cam 66 for the upper guide cam 65, said guard. cam 66 being stationary. The inner faces of said several cams are concaved and are arranged normally to lie in a plane substantially coinciding with the plane of the outer face of the needle cylinder, which plane also coincides with the plane of the inner faces of the cams of said primary set. Appropriate supporting instrumentalities are provided for said secondary knitting cams to maintain such cams in substantially the same horizontal plane as are the primary knitting cams, whereupon certain needles including those with long knitting butts will be actuated (hiring the knitting of certain parts of the stocking or at substantially the same tlme that other needles including the regular short butt needles are acted upon as hereinafter stated.

Said secondary cams may be adjustable vertically with respect to the primary cams in order to provide perfect alignment between the two and for this purpose said secwhich is secured to the frame 1 by screws 70.

The bracket 69 is shown in the form of a channel within which the slide 68 moves and screws QII'tOl'lCl through slots in the bracket into sc .u 'a ement with the ing said slide in d relation with the such as a screw 72 is provided to more the slide relatively to the bracket. said screw having; an engagemont with a l rally projecting portion 72-3 of the brawet. Such screw is held in position by a check nut 74.

1 preferably more the w ondary knitting cams radially of the needle i Ynder to withdraw them to positions r they will not act upon needle butts, a. for e.-.ample, when the needles to be levelled for transferring, or when the needles may have become caught or are to be replaced by hand. F or purpose the stitch cams 62, 63 and the lower guide cam 64: are mounted on a cam block 75 shown in 6 and 7, saidblock A LCD- being arranged to slide upon the plate 67 and beino; yieldingly maintained in operative position by springs 77. interposed between it and an abutment or bracket .78. laid cam block 75 is capable of manual as well as automatic retraction. For automatically retracting said cam block 75a lever 19 is provided, pivotedat S0 to the under side of the plate 67. One end of said lever is adapted to engage the side nearest the needle cylinder, of a pin 81 depending from the under side of the cam block 75, said pin being arranged to work within a slot formed in the plate 67. The opposite end of the lever 7 9 is connected by means of a link 82 with an arm 83 attached to the link 46 hereinbefore referred to as constituting a part of the means for retracting the primary cam block.

There are occasions duringthe operation of the machine when it is desirable to re tract the upper guide cam (35 from its operative position independently of the cambQ, 63, as, for example when return reciprocation is to be made in the knitting of split work. For this purpose said cam 65 is slidably mounted in the-cam block '75, said cam having a radially extending projection 84;

adapted to slide in a suitable groove in the top of the cam block. Said cam 65 is so mounted that it may be withdrawn either Inanually or automatically, but preferably automatically and herein by means connected with the quadrant of the machine.

For this purposetthere is provided a lever 86 shown in Figs. 6 and 8, said lever being pivoted at 87 upon the framing and connected at its lower end .88 to a link 89 itself connected at 90 with a lever varm 91 fast upon a shaft 92. Also fast upon said shaft is a lever arm 93 connected at 9% to a link 95 pivoted at 95 to a lever 9E having a flange 95, which is adapted to be struck alternately by lugs 95 and 95 upon a collar 95 on the shaft of the quadrant. A spring 95 is l'n'ovided-acting normally to elevate the longer end of said lever 95* by rocking the same upon its pivot 95*.

The construction and operation of parts are such that toward the end of each stroke of the quadrant the guard ram 65 is moved out and again returned, so as to permit the butts of the elevated needles passing by said cam without being depressed into knitting position, as indicated clearly in the diagram (Fig. 24).

The shaft 92 may be and desirably is provided with means for withdrawing the cam 65 during heel and toe work, but such movement does not interfere with the described withdrawal of the cam 65 during split work.

When an auxiliary or secondary set of cams is employed for split work, means must also be provided to feed yarn to the needles that are actuated by said auxiliary or secondary set of cams. Hence a secondary yarn guide 97 is provided upon the latch ring 20 in a position appropriate to said secondary knitting cam set, and herein substantially diametrically opposite to the primary knitting cams. The secondary yarn guide 97 is in the form of a lever pivoted at 98 to the latch ring, and the free end of said yarn guide is arranged to move in a suitable slot 99 in the latch ring.

The purpose of the secondary cams, as previously stated, is to function certain of the needles during the knitting of split fabrics and where the formation of such fabrics is limited to a certain portion of the knitted article, as, for example, the ankle portion and the foot of a stocking, the secondary yarn guide 97 must be moved into and out of its operative position when said secondary knitting cams are moved into and out of their operative positions. Preferably said yarn guide 97 is arranged to operate automatically with the upper guide cam 65 which controls the operation of said secondary cams. Herein the yarn guide 97 is shown as provided with an extension 100 having a'cam surface 101 on its under edge to be engaged by a lever 102, itself pivoted at 103 to the bracket 7 8 and having a lateral projection extending underneath said. extension 100. The lower end of the lever 102 is connected through link 105with the lever 86. Therefore any movemcnt of the lever 86 to move the cam 65 will effect a similar movement of the yarn guide 97; that is, if the cam 65 is retracted from its operative position, the yarn guide 97 will. be raised to its inoperative position, and vice versa.

To insure the proper engagement of the long butts of the needles with the cams 65, the guard cam 66 is mounted directly above the cam65 and is provided with cam surfaves 66' at opposite ends thereof to cause a deflection of the needle butts if they are too pivotally mounted upon the bracket 78 with their operative ends capable of cooperation with the cam 63, 6 1,. and means preferably of the usual type are provided for holding said pickers in their inoperative positions when narrowing and widening operations are not to be performed. Herein these means consist of a stop plate 110 that is arranged to engage the arms of the pickers 108, 109to depress said arms. To control the stop plate a bracket 111 is provided to which said plate is attached, said bracket being mounted at the upper end of a rod 112 vertically movable in the bracket 67. The lower end. of said rod 112 is operatively con nected with a lever 113 shown in Fig. 1 as pivoted at 114 to the under side of the frame 1 and operatively connected by means of a link 115 and a cam lever 1.16 with the cam surfaces 117 formed uponthe cam 19.

Arranged at the back of the needle cylinder between the primary and secondary sets of cams is a switch cam 127 which may be of usual construction and is arranged to engage only the long knitting butts and then only when the needle cylinder is traveling in a reverse direction, whereupon the said butts will be moved upwardly to the idle level.

When the butts of the needles are passing in the opposite direction, namely, forwardly and along the usual channel for circular knitting, the long butt needles will engage said switch cam and throw the same up without changing the position of said needles. For this purpose the cam 127 is provided wit-h a shaft 128 in a suitable bracket and has a spring for normally holding the switch cam. in the position shown in'Figs. 11 and 12. p

In machines for producing split work as heretofore constructed, the needles have been divided into two groups equal or substantially equal in number, and those two groups have each been composed of a fixed and unvarying number, so that the suture lines or seams at opposite sides of the stocking or other fabric were substantially parallel with the wales and did not cross the same in the manner herein set forth. In accordance with my invention and referring for clearness of description to the specific embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, I provide two sets of needles which are respectively to work upon opposite parts of a designs to be produced.

stocking or other fabric in split work, but [automatically transfer certain needles from one of said sets to the other as the work progresses, so that the number of needles in one group is increased from time to time, and the number of needles in'the other group is correspondingly decreased.

vThis result or action 1 desirably effect automatically, and referring for clearness and convenience of description to the manufacture of stockings, I place certain of the needles, as, for example, the long butt or instep needles, in one group, and also place in the same grou ir a certain number of the short butt needles, leaving in the second group only the remaining short butt needles. Thenumbers in the two groups obviously may differ in accordance with the different the article being knitted; is a stocking and assuming that the reinforced or contrasting area thereof is a high splice of triangular form, the needles in the group which knits said high splice will at the commencement of the high splice be limited to a few in number, as, for exai'nple, about four. As the knitting of the reinforced or contrasting area,in the assumed instance a triangular high splice iroceeds, the number of needles in the smaller group is constantly increased by additions at eachend of the group from the larger group.

If the reinforced or contrasting area is to be at some other part of the stocking than at the high splice area, obviously the grouping of the needles should be different from thatof tliejspecific instance recited, and the number of needles in each group would obviously depend upon the configuration of the reinforced or contrasting area. Also the period when needles are transferred from one group to the other andthe number that 'are so transferred from time to time depend ,upon the configuration of-the reinforced or contrasting area. .For example, such area =inay have opposite sides with straight slop- 3 ing lines which are either symmetrical or unsymmetrical with respect to each other, and said lines or one of them may be curved or may be rregular. In allcases, however, the

1 lines or atleast one of them are non-parallel w th the walesof the fabric, so that such v line or linescross a 881183, of consecutive wales of the fabric. I

The stocking may be commenced either at the top of the leg or at the toe, and I will 1 describe as the preferred method of manufacture, the knitting of thev stocking beginning at the top of the leg, in which case .circular knitting proceeds in the ordinary ,manner down to the commencement of the reinforced or, contrasting area which for clearance of description and as a concrete example will be referred to as a high splice of triangular form, the apex being upward In the event that and substantially at the back median line of the stocking. In such instance, the

needles for the first reciprocation of. split closed and having a reinforced or contrastin area and in the event that the stockin is commenced at the top, it is necessary to provide means automatically to transfer needles from one group to the other. While various means may be provided for the purpose, I preferably provide ,ineans which I will now specifically describe without limiting myself thereto. In the disclosed. embodiment of the invention none of the long butt or instep needles is at any time transferred. to the other group, but the number of needles in the smaller group, which knits the high splice, is constantly augmented, al-

though obviously in other embodiments of the invention,the reverse may be the case. Therefore 1n the disclosed embodiment of the invention I provide a jack underneath each of the short butt needles, which occupy one half the entire circle of needles, being desirably equal in number with the long butt needles, each saidjack being positioned in the needle groove of that needle and being wholly distinct therefrom and movable independent thereof. One of said jacks is shown at 130 in Fig. 21. Said jacks for the short butt needles maybe of any suitable form, but are preferablysh'ort'as shown and are provided with butts 131. l alsodesirably place under each of the long butt needles what may be termed a dummy ack, as indicated at 132 in Fig. 21, said,

dummy jacks having butts 133 preferably of the same length as the butts 131. The dummy jacks are desirably longer than the jacks under the short butt needles, butv otherwise do not differ therefrom in the disclosed embodiment of the invention. Each dummy jack is placed in its groove beneath its long butt needle and is wholly distinct therefrom, and is movable independently thereof.

The main purpose in providing. the dummy jacks is to prevent the means which transfer the jacks from an upper level to a lower level for the purpose of transferring a needle from one group to another, from acting upon the jacks under the short butt.-

needles at each side of the machine next to th long butt needle at such side, which ivould' result if a gap were left in the jack circle where the long butt needles are located. rhiinmy gacks any suitable means for ac- I maytherefore substitute for said,

complishing the same result, and I may, for example, substitute therefor a half ring (co-extensive with said jacks and secured to the needle cylinder to prevent action by the selecting means upon the wrong "acks for the short butt needles.

Assuming the stocking to commence at the top of the le and the reinforced or contrasting area to be a tapered hipgh splice of the form of an upright triangle, the knittin proceeds in the usual manner for circular work and the butts of all the jacks ride in their travel through horizontal grooves in the faces of certain cams which are employed to act upon said jacks during split work. Certain of said cams are indicated at 1341., 135, 136 in Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14. The horizontal grooves at theinner faces of said cams are respectively shown at 137, 138, 139, being at the base thereof. During circular work the butts 131, 133 of the jacks merely pass idly through said grooves and consequently the jacks all remain down. Preliminary to the commencement of certain split work, it is necessary to elevate the jacks so that their needles may be brought into the upper level with the long butt needles, said upper level being more fully referred to in the description of Figs. 13 and 14, it being noted'that preliminary to beginning; reciprocating luiitting, all the long butt needles are elevated by cam 27.

For this purpose any suitable means may be provided but preferably I employ a cam 1&0 indicated in Figs. 15 to 20, and elsewhere and also shown in Fig. 9. where I have represented one form of means for operating the same, and which I will now describe without limiting myself to such means.

The said cam 140 is provided with a radially extending stem or slide portion lei-1 adapted to move in a suitable radially extending stationary guide 142, and which at its upper face is suitably slotted or formed to permit the connection to said slide por tion 141 of a link 1413, by means of a screw 1414c. Said link is connected at 145 to an arm 146 of alever pivoted at 147, and having an arm 1.918 towhich is pivot, ly connected at 149, a link or rod 150 tlittt in turn is pivotally connected at 151 to the arm 152 of a leve pivoted at 153 and having a toe or end 154i adapted to rest upon a peripheral cam mounted fast upon the pattern cam shaft 9. The toe 15 i is held against the periphi-iral cam 155 by a suitable spring 156.

Also fast upon said cam shaft 9 is the usual stop motion wheel 156 having thereon a projection 15'? adapted at the proper time to be struck by a kicker 158 fast upon the rocke shaft 159 whereon is fast the usual quadrant 160 by which reciprocating motion is conveyed to the needle cylinder during split work and forheel and toe work.

The construction and arrangement of parts are such that when the cam shaft 9 is moved forward in changing to reciproeating work, the too 15% drops into the depression 161 thereby moving the cam 140 in, and elevating all the jacks to the upper level. lVhen the quadrant 160 is at the full limit of its backward stroke on the first reciprocation the kicker 15S moves the disk 156, and thereby the entire set of drums on the shaft 9 far enough to cause the toe 15 1 to ride out of the depression 161, thereby moving outward the cam 140. 'It will therefore be clear that the cam 140 is thrown radially inward while the knitting is still on circular work, but just at the beginning of split work and as the needle cylinder is moving contraclockwise as indicated in Fig. 15. Said figure is intended diagrammatically to indicate the operation of the parts at this time.

Inasmuch as it has been assumed for clearness of description that the stocking is commenced at the top of the leg. I, at each stroke of reciprocation (after the cam 140 has functioned) act by widening); action to throw down a jack pertaining to a needle at the back of the leg of the stocking', so that upon the next stroke said needle will function with the other groin of'ne e dies which include the needles at the'back of the stocking.

It will be understood that in split work as ordinarily practised the long: butt needles knit at that side of the machine havinn: the single yarn guide 97 (auxiliary side) and that the short butt needles knit at the opposite side of the machine, namely, that having the group ofyarn guides 51 (regular side), it being also understood that the two short butt needles which stand respectively at the two ends of the short butt series function as suture needles, by acting with both sets.

In the present organization this arrangement is continued so that the long butt needles knit at the side having the yarn. finger 97 (auxiliary side) and the other group of needles knit at the side having the group of yarn fingers 51. In the present organization when a jack is at the upper level, the needle pertaining thereto knits with thelong butt needles at the long butt needle side, that is, at the side where is positioned the yarn finger 97. In order to effect the automatic transfer of a needle from time to time from the larger group into the smaller, I pick down one jack at each end of each reciprocation during split work,that is, during the formation of the reinforced or contrasting area,--and this converts the needle of that jack into a short butt needle, so that it knits at the short butt needle side, namely, that where the group of yarn fingers 51 is". located.

The widening means which I employ to 

